This Shabbat we will read both Parshat Tazria and Parshat Metzora which deal with the laws of purification. Ron Rubel talked about the nature of tzaraat, translated as plague and more commonly as leprosy, which was taken as a sign of ritual uncleanliness and hypothesized about what it might actually have been. Not only did people suffer symptoms of tzaraat, but fabric/garments and houses did as well. Ron discussed the role of the priest in the diagnosis, the isolation, the ritual purification, and the determination that ritual purity had been restored.

MINUTES FROM PRIOR MEETING

Minutes from the March meeting were approved corrected: the proper spelling of the group that will perform a concert in the fall is Mama Doni.

CONGREGANT COMMENTS

Lew Goldberg, chair of the Chevra Kadisha, requested permission to solicit bids to continue the cemetery roadway to the back of the property. The board does not have to approve the solicitation of bids, but when Lew does so, he needs to receive 3 bids for the work. If the cost exceeds $500, then he will need to bring to the board a proposal for the work along with the bids and a recommendation. Lee Osborne offered to help draft a plan for the work.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT (read by Eliot)

• An endowed chair is being dedicated to Jeremy Zwelling in honor of his retirement as Professor of Religion and Director of Wesleyan University’s Jewish and Israel Studies Program. An evening honoring Jeremy will be held on May 2^nd at Wesleyan. Jeremy has been an extremely valuable contributor to our community. In addition to building the Wesleyan program from the bottom up, for our synagogue he has played a key role on at least two rabbi search committees and has often participated in davening and leining when we were between rabbis.

• We would like to make a group contribution from the synagogue. Please direct checks to Eileen, noting that it is for The Jeremy Zwelling Chair in Jewish Studies.

• In my last president’s letter I made a strong plug for members to consider starting Facebook accounts and joining the Adath Israel Facebook Group. Please consider doing this; it is a very easy and free way to keep up with our members. If you have a chance, take a look at my article for further information.

• Patresha Rogoff will be taking on the Kolot advertising project—please thank her.

• Susan Weintraub has been conducting interviews and providing very preliminary feedback on the Adath Israel branding initiative. No immediate feedback on this, other than that she seems to be doing a very thorough and thoughtful job, and her feedback appears to be highly useful for helping our community better define itself. Stay tuned for more detail.

• I’m very happy to report that our softball team, the Matzah Balls, appears to be heading to second strong season, and will likely be joining a synagogue league that will play in West Hartford. Thanks to Eliot Meadow and Hal Guy for continuing this!

• Recently several members of our congregation and I attended a fascinating event at the Russell Library put on by the Middletown Chorale who will be performing Mendelssohn’s Elijah Oratorio on Sunday, May 2nd. This event included discussions of the role of Elijah in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and our Rabbi represented us extremely well to our local community.

• Please help to show our appreciation of the Rabbi by making your attendance at the Rabbi’s installation weekend, May 14, 15, 16 a top priority, including making yourselves available to Marge Sadinsky’s planning of events.

• Also, please join us for this Friday’s Pray-Eat-Sing (Kugelmania is the theme of the dinner) at 5:30. FYI, I’m aware of at least two families that are considering joining our synagogue and are likely to attend. And please come to this Saturday’s Shabbat service in honor of Jerry and Hortie Kabel’s retirement from chairing the Chevra Kaddisha.

RABBI’S REPORT

• Last month I was in Nicaragua with 9 Wesleyan students, with whom I built a good relationship. These students are first and second year students, who I hope we will see here at Adath Israel.

• The new introduction to Hebrew class will start on Sunday, April 18 at 11 a.m.

• I would like to have a review of the holidays from fall through Passover. Please consider giving me your feedback with an eye toward improvements.

• We had a fun evening here at Nester watching the UCONN Women’s basketball championship game, including snacks and drinks.

• Approximately 20 people showed up with me at the Wesleyan University Exley Science Center to commemorate Yom HaShoah by reading names of those killed in the Shoah and to bear witness while others read.

• Our celebration of Shavuoth will be on the evening of May 18, and this year will not include confirmation. In celebration of receiving Torah at Mt. Sinai, we will have an “all night” study session at Nester Center to which all are welcome, including children. It will start at 5:30. I am looking for people who are interested in teaching and learning anything at all. Please let me know what you’d like to teach. Traditionally, this is the holiday that we eat dairy foods; it is known as the “cheesecake” holiday. Perhaps we will have a pizza supper.

• Havdallah at Nester this month is at 8:45 p.m. and next month as well. I’m open to ideas about how to make this program more enjoyable for adults (it is too late in the evening to include children).

• Again, I would like to talk with members of the board about how this past year has gone.

• And a comment about this evening’s D’Var Torah: in ancient times, and in keeping with the laws of ritual purification, the Temple underwent an annual cleaning at Yom Kippur, to rid it of the muck of the accumulated sins of the people. Today, we can get rid of the synagogue muck by reaching out, e.g., by sharing a meal with someone or having coffee together. Today, this tradition is more about how to reintegrate people back into the congregation—a job of the board as well as the rabbi.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Membership/Welcoming

• Membership is down a few more units. Some long-time members who had been in arrears in their dues contribution responded to the system of letters initiated by the Contribution Review Committee by becoming current, and some did not; the latter are no longer members.

• On a positive note, two new prospective families are planning to come to the Friday evening “Pray, Eat, Sing” service.

Financial

• Mike Sigal’s report indicated that there will be two major fundraisers: the rabbi’s installation on May, for which we have donors who are underwriting the cost of the event, and for which we are hoping to receive additional contributions, and the golf tournament in August. All bills are paid.

Endowment

• Myron Poliner discussed the large amount of money that we will take from the principal of the endowment this year to meet operating costs and the additional amount necessary for anticipated capital expenditures. He reiterated that it is important to figure out ways to save and to cut expenses, and warned that revenues are not likely to grow significantly this next year. He reported that the Chevra Kadisha account received two payments and that the main endowment account is holding steady.

• The Finance Committee met the night before and made some changes in the investment policy to reallocate some assets to boost growth.

COMMITTEES THAT REQUIRE BOARD ACTION

• Irwin Zagoren proposed to discuss the issue of insurance, but did not have materials at hand for the board. He was asked to provide information to the board in advance of the next meeting to facilitate this discussion.

• Education Committee. Diana Lane brought up the following:

1. The school administration would like to have a line item added in the Income budget for a book and material fee to be paid by school families, e.g., $30 per semester.

2. Regarding the campaign for new members, how should the Education Committee proceed and on what schedule for advertising and marketing?

3. Very preliminary discussions have started with a very small, private progressive school that may be interested in renting out a small space in our religious school area. The school comprises grades K through 3. The individuals involved are a local couple. The committee may seek guidance from the board at a future date.

OLD BUSINESS

House Update

• There is a long lead-time for the specified siding for the Nester Center garage that has caused a slow-down on the job—6 to 8 weeks. The cement work and the walls are done. The back stairs may be reconstructed by mid-May.

• We are still soliciting quotes on the air-conditioning system for the auditorium roof.

• A request was made to have the A/C unit for the main sanctuary checked; it has not been functioning properly lately.

NEW BUSINESS

Budget

• The proposed budget was presented by Eliot, in Mike’s absence, for a first pass review. The board will be asked to formally approve the budget at the meeting next month. The approved budget will be presented at the June semi-annual meeting for congregation approval.

• Diana asked how the Education Committee can get involved in the budget cycle. Committee chairs are invited to submit a budget to the Finance Committee no later than March 1 each year to help build the proposed budget for the following year.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Naomi R. Kamins

Secretary

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